Cellular Specific Therapeutic Prion

Abstract

A method of inducing cell death or apoptosis in certain (undesirable) cells, such as cancerous cells or pathogenic microorganisms. The method to be described utilizes self-replicating prion-like misfolded isoforms of a cellular protein (which may be specific to a particular type of cell) to specifically target certain undesired cells for destruction.

1 ) The method of inducing cell death in certain (undesired) cells exhibiting certain cellular proteins, where self-replicating prion-like isoform(s) of the cellular protein is introduced into the environment of the (undesired) cell, and induces the death of the cell through conversion of the cellular proteins to the self-replicating prion-like form. 
     
     
         2 ) The method of  claim 1 , where the aforementioned method is utilized to induce cell death (necrosis) in a tissue consisting of such cells. 
     
     
         3 ) The method of  claim 1 , where the (undesired) cells are cancerous. 
     
     
         4 ) The method of  claim 1 , where the cellular protein is currently known or discovered to the art of oncological research as a protein indicative of the presence of cancer cells. 
     
     
         5 ) The method of  claim 1 , where the aforementioned method is utilized to induce cell death (necrosis) in a tissue consisting of cancerous cells. 
     
     
         6 ) The method of  claim 1 , where the (undesired) cells are an infectious bacterium. 
     
     
         7 ) The method of  claim 1 , where the (undesired) cells are a strain of the  Staphylococcus  bacterium. 
     
     
         8 ) The method of  claim 1 , used to treat a disease. 
     
     
         9 ) The method of inducing cell death in certain (undesired) cells exhibiting certain cellular proteins, where a self-replicating prion-like isoform of the cellular protein is introduced into the environment of the (undesired) cell, and converts cellular proteins responsible for the resistance of the cell against certain chemical stimulus, into a self-replicating prion-like misfolded isoform. 
     
     
         10 ) The method of  claim 9 , where the undesired cell(s) are an (undesired) bacterium. 
     
     
         11 ) The method of  claim 9 , where the undesired cell(s) are strain of the  Staphylococcus  bacterium. 
     
     
         12 ) The method of  claim 9 , where the chemical stimulus is an antibiotic drug. 
     
     
         13 ) The method of  claim 9 , where the chemical stimulus is Penicillin. 
     
     
         14 ) The method of  claim 9 , where the undesired cells are cancerous. 
     
     
         15 ) The method of administering a dosage of self-replicating prion-like isoform(s) of a cellular protein to an organism as a means to treat, prevent, or cure a disease.